Calendar of events for the 2007/08 season

PRIZE MONEY BOOST FOR SNOOKER TOUR

30 May 2007 www.worldsnooker.comWorld Snooker has announced the calendar for the 2007/08 professional Tour, which includes a new ranking event and increased prize money.

The 888.com World Snooker Championship will see &#163;250,000 awarded to the winner as the prize fund for the tournament tops &#163;1million.

This is part of an overall increase in prize funds of almost &#163;250,000 that will also see a rise for the winners, runners-up and semi-finalists of the Royal London Watches Grand Prix, the Maplin UK Championship and the SAGA Insurance Masters.

The season opens with the Shanghai Masters in August and for the first time ever there will be two ranking events in China in the same season, reflecting the tremendous growth of the sport in that area.

The event should feature the world’s top 16 players, plus 16 qualifiers and eight Chinese wildcards. They will compete at the 8,000-seater Shanghai Grand Stage from August 6 to 12.

The calendar also includes the four major events televised by BBC Sport - the Royal London Watches Grand Prix, Maplin UK Championship, SAGA Insurance Masters and 888.com World Snooker Championship - as well as the Pot Black Cup, also televised by the BBC, the Northern Ireland Trophy, Welsh Open and Beijing China Open.

World Snooker Chairman Sir Rodney Walker said: "We have put in place sponsorship and broadcast deals that guarantee the continued growth of our sport but it is only the first step in the development of the Tour.

"This is yet more good news for snooker fans and players and demonstrates the growing popularity of the sport in different parts of the world."

888.com’s UK Sports Marketing Manager Rob Mitchell said: "I am delighted at the increase in prize money for the sport’s premier tournament. With the total prize money on offer at the 888.com World Snooker Championship now exceeding &#163;1million this underlines the stature of the event."